Medical imaging instruments are often utilized by doctors and other medical professionals to conduct non-invasive examinations. That is, medical imaging instruments, including X-ray, magnetic resonance (MR), computed tomography (CT), ultrasound, and various combinations of these instruments/techniques are utilized to provide images of internal patient structure for diagnostic purposes as well as for interventional procedures. Such medical imaging instruments allow examination of internal tissue that is not readily examined during normal visual or tactile examination. Applications include imaging in the areas of urology and brachytherapy.
Medical imaging devices typically allow for generating 3-D images of internal structures of interest. Such 3-D imaging may improve the accuracy and/or reliability of medical diagnosis. For instance, a medical imaging device may be utilized to generate a 3-D model or map of the prostate such that one or more biopsies may be taken from a desired location of the prostate. For purposes of prostrate imaging, image acquisition and guidance may be provided by a transrectal ultrasound-imaging device (TRUS). In such an application, the ultrasound-imaging device may be inserted into the rectum of a patient to generate an image. Such images may be utilized to take one or more biopsies from a prostate location of interest and/or implant radioactive seeds at one or more desired locations in a brachytherapy procedure.
In order to generate 3-D images, many medical imaging devices obtain a plurality of images (e.g., two dimensional images) and register these images together to form a 3-D image. Accordingly, movement of a medical imaging device between the acquisition of individual images makes it more difficult to properly align (e.g., register) the different images for purposes of generating accurate 3-D images.
Traditionally, having a medical practitioner manipulate the medical imaging instrument by hand has controlled medical instrument positioning for medical image acquisition and/or treatment, including that of ultrasound probes. That is, the medical practitioner manually guides the instrument. Such manual manipulation is suitable for many medical procedures. However, in instances where it is desirable to obtain multiple images for 3-D image generation, manual manipulation of the device may result in movement between images. Further, for biopsy and other treatment procedures it is desirable that the relative location between an imaging instrument and a tissue area of interest be known. That is, it is important that the device directs an imaging field to a particular tissue location and remain stationary to allow for guiding a biopsy/treatment device to a tissue location within the imaging field. Relative movement between the imaging device and the tissue area of interest during imaging and/or biopsy/treatment may impede the successful performance of these procedures.
Accordingly, a number of holding and manipulating/positioning assemblies have been proposed wherein a holder interfaces with an imaging device such as an ultrasound probe. Such a holder is then interconnected to one or more mechanical armatures and/or actuators such that the probe may be mechanically positioned and/or rotated. However, original equipment manufactures (OEMs) of ultrasound probes do not have a standardized design. As will be appreciated, ultrasound probes generated by different manufactures come in different lengths and widths. This is true for both the insertion portion end of a probe as well as a handle portion of the probe. This has resulted in the need for specialized holders and/or specialized positioning assemblies for differently configured ultrasound probes. Accordingly, prior positioning assemblies have required that a medical facility utilize a particular probe with a particular positioning assembly. Further, such positioning assemblies have typically been complicated and mechanically cumbersome.